Bribie Island Community Association

BRIBIE ISLAND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

RESPONSE TO

CABOOLTURE SHIRE COUNCIL COMPLAINTS PANEL REPORT

LACK OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON THE PROJECT TO INSTALL PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS ON BENABROW AVE, BELLARA

Structure

This response to the Conduct Review Panel’s Report addresses the issues in accordance with the same layout used in the Panel Report for ease of reference.

1.0 Background

The background information provided in the report appears to be a fair and true representation. It is important to note that the Panel Members had access to photographs and plans of the site as well as the Consultant’s Report. BICA was not given access to these documents.

2.0 Jurisdictional Issues

The information provided under this section is a fair and accurate representation and is endorsed.

3.0 Evidence – Council Representatives

Our comments on this section relate to the accuracy and understanding by the Panel on the evidence produced by Council to support their claims. This is important as it reflects on the Panel’s Outcome and Recommendations.

3.1 Traffic Lights Proposal

The correct terminology should be ‘Pedestrian Traffic Signals’. Paragraph 2 indicates that if Council was aware of the sensitivity of the topic of ‘traffic lights’ on Bribie Island, then why did Council not enter into a community consultation process in accordance with CSC Policy 710/03 and Community Consultation Guidelines prior to the project being approved? The Panel has failed to take cognisance of this point in their deliberations in reaching an outcome.

Paragraph 3 has an error or we can only assume that the Panel does not fully understand the issue. The proposed signals are on a major thoroughfare (relevant to Bribie Island) – not an intersection.

Paragraph 4 raises the question of the credibility of this information. There is no evidence produced to validate the statement that the issue had been taken to the Visually Impaired group and the Chamber of Commerce prior to a decision being made by Council to install Pedestrian Signals. To state that this occurred prior to the Budget decision to approve the project is not credible information as this would mean that it would need to occur early 2007 as the Budget shows the project listed in the CSC Operational Plan & Budget 2007/08 at a cost of $599,992 which was probably around May 2007. The first indication of the project to the community was 17 August 2007 with the Public Notice in the Bribie Weekly newspaper. The inference in this paragraph is that Council undertook community consultation on this project (albeit a small focus group within the community) but there is no evidence to support this claim.

Paragraph 5 addresses the Consultant’s Report being commissioned to confirm the actual basis for the project and this report included consultation with adjacent landowners. There are some serious questions that need to be answered in relation to the Consultant’s Report. The information in the Consultant’s Report relating to justification is not credible as the figures are suspiciously fabricated in an attempt to justify a desired outcome. Specifically, the Guidelines for Zebra Crossings require 60 persons/hour and 500 vehicles/hour to justify a crossing. The Consultant’s Report states that this was achieved between 0900-1430 hrs. The figure of 719 persons in a 12 hour period is pure fabrication as any local resident will know that 719 persons would probably not cross in a week let alone in a 12 hour period. Although this is not the focus of the Conduct Review Panel and the Formal Complaint, it is an issue that needs to be pursued at a higher level, through the CEO, the Minister for Local Government or even the Crime and Misconduct Commission. The fact that the Consultant’s Report consulted with adjacent landowners needs to be qualified. Only six local businesses were approached of which five agreed to be interviewed. The comment that they were seen as directly affected by the decision is an extremely narrow view of ‘affected persons’ and does no justice to the community as a whole. It is unlikely that those businesses are directly affected at all as parking facilities are located at the rear of the businesses and business owners and employees probably do not have a need to use the pedestrian crossing.

Paragraph 5 states that “the proposal was put out for public comment” in what was described as a “comprehensive information session” including a display in the library two months before detailed design was undertaken. This statement is hardly credible considering that the display in the library did not occur until 05 October 2007 and only as a result of community complaint over the lack of consultation. The Community Feedback issue is addressed in further detail under Section 3.3.

3.2 Departmental Practice on Community Consultation

It is disturbing to note Council’s position regarding comments from the public would only be considered to enhance the project but not change the project. This is a clear indication of the attitude and culture that currently exist with Caboolture Council (now MBRC District Office Caboolture). The statement made by Council Officers that more extensive community consultation would usually only be undertaken for major traffic projects or those having specific neighbourhood impacts, say traffic calming, where residents would be given a say in whether the project proceeds or not is an important statement as it highlights this very issue. The Pedestrian Signals projectis a Major Project. The cost is nearly $600,000 and involves a complete redesign of the existing car park, the removal of mature trees, resiting entry and exit points and the installation of pedestrian traffic lights across a major (in Bribie Island terms) thoroughfare comprising four traffic lanes. Furthermore, the project impacts on the daily lives of commuters and the lifestyle of residents and visitors on Bribie Island. To say otherwise only reinforces the poor culture and attitude that Council Officers have for the very ratepayers that they are supposed to serve. The project did demand proper and widespread community consultation from the outset and this did not occur.

The final paragraph under this section confirms Council’s belief that the “extensive community consultation program” was more in the nature of an information program.

3.3 Community Feedback

Council’s first attempt at feedback was when the Engineering Planning Unit produced a Feedback Form for public comment only after pressure from the community to have their say. For Council to comment that 18 out of 21 responses (86%) against the project were not considered a strong backlash is at odds with their previous statements about support for the project. The reverse is that only 3 out of 21 responses (14%) supported the project which indicates a strong lack of support. If support for the project was there, why didn’t those proponents respond on the Feedback Form? Furthermore, Council was willing to accept the Consultant’s Report of only five businesses supporting the project. For the Panel to include the statement in their report – “why didn’t you do it last year” is nothing more than headlining, hearsay and emotive conjecture and has no place in this report.

The final paragraph is proof that Council had already finalised the detailed plan prior to any consultation with the community and it is farcical to state that “in their professional opinion, all issues have been properly accounted for in the decision making process”. We wonder how this is possible when the decision was made well before the community even had an opportunity to even know about the project let alone comment on the project. Please note Council Policy 710/03 on Community Consultation Guidelines – “Engaging the community after options are already identified or selected is not consultation and can lead to a loss of trust if the community is expecting to have greater input.”

4.0 Evidence – Complainant

Generally, the comments made are a true and fair representation of the proceedings.

5.0 Other Relevant Information

The Panel’s comments do not do justice to the particular Panel’s comments on the FOWB complaint but does reinforce our concerns with respect to the lack of community consultation and the culture and attitude that pervades this Council. The Council is not community focussed but displays the attitude of an inwards focussed Council.

6.0 Consideration of Evidence

This dispute does hinge on the interpretation to be placed on Community Consultation but in our opinion CSC Policy 710/03 and Community Consultation Guidelines are quite clear in determining when to consult and what constitutes consultation. The Council, in developing this policy, used the LGAQ guidelines “Getting Started – A Consultation Guide for Queensland Local Government” and an updated version in 2003 “Community Consultation Guide for Queensland Local Government”. In this case, the policy is specific and community consultation did not occur in accordance with this policy.

7.0 Other Matters

No further comment is offered other than to agree with paragraph 2.

8.0 Panel Recommendation

The following comments are offered in response:

We accept the Panel’s recognition that community consultation is important.
The Panel’s decision to recognise that Council Officers believed that community consultation was not required is not supported by the evidence recorded in section 3.0.
CSC Policy 710/03 and the Community Consultation Guidelines clearly states when community consultation should occur and we see no reason, based on the significance of the project, why community consultation should not have occurredin accordance with the agreed guidelines.
We do not accept the Panel’s recommendations that this does not constitute an administrative error.
We see no reason to review the CSC Policy 710/03 as it is quite clear in its intent in its current form. The Panel’s recommendation to review the current policy would only be supported if there was a better outcome and more certainty for the community and any review must be focussed on the community to provide more confidence and trust in Council’s actions. The problem is not with the community understanding Council Policy – it is with Council not understanding their own Policy.
We agree that proper consultation with the community be reinforced throughout the Council by suitable training and awareness programs and that this should include Councillors.

Footnote:

We are disappointed that this major project is to proceed and the haste that Council intends to implement the project. Council has just installed a ‘flashing sign’ advising that work will commence Monday 21 April 2008 without resolution of our complaint concerning community consultation. This action further reinforces the attitude and contempt Council has for due process and the community as a whole.

Trevor Smith

President

Bribie Island Community Association18 April 2008